Typically, in any situation similar to yours, an abortion seems like the most obvious choice, and for valid reasons. Being at such a vulnerable and dependent age in life is reason enough to not want to give birth to a baby–to another human being. However, I respect your ultimate decision of staying pregnant, and making the early decision to give the baby up for adoption. Not only that, but also deciding to go through the effort of finding traditional parents for the baby; you were thinking ahead to ensure that your baby can live up to its fullest potential, you knew that it wouldn’t if you kept it or had an abortion. Making this decision could not have been easy, and having an abortion is not easy, nor is staying pregnant at such a young age.
If I were in your shoes, I also wouldn’t have chosen to have an abortion, and not necessarily because I am “pro-choice”, since I understand why there are women who choose to have an abortion. I would keep the baby because I don’t think I would be able to live with myself if I decided to take away a chance of life as an “easy way out”. Like you, I would realize that I made a mistake by not using protection or by not being on birth control, but I would own up to the consequences by having the baby. Would I give it up for adoption? I don’t think I would, my mom would advocate I keep the baby and she would help me raise it, I know I would have my family’s full support. You were only 16 and clearly not mentally prepared to be full blown pregnant, and definitely not prepared to be a responsible mother, I would feel the same way one way or another. Since you successfully gave birth to a new life, the results left you enlightened and you were able to realize the love you wanted most.
Personally, I would never have an abortion, whether I’m 17 or 40, I would make the same choice to have the baby without even thinking about abortion being a plausible choice for myself. Roe v. Wade makes having an abortion legal and a fairly common procedure hundreds of thousands of women have each year. More abortions happen among women who are in their early twenties, when women tend to become more “sexually active” (sorry, Juno). I understand why women have abortions, because they are still young and want to live as freely as they can, and having a baby tends to but an anchor of responsibility that adds limits to how they want to live their life at that age, or at that state of their life. I agree that women should have a choice of having an abortion, because being pregnant involves their body and that includes morning sickness, buying new clothes that fit, being more aware of how to stay healthy for two human beings, etc. Pregnancy is a commitment for nine months, and this commitment will have life changing results. It is a difficult commitment to make for numerous women who are not prepared physically and emotionally. I know abortion is against my religion’s beliefs, and the thought of dead babies does make my heart hurt, but that applies to myself as it accommodates to my perception of life. What I think or feel should not restrict other women from making their own choice that matches their own perceptions of the world.
The best scenario would be that women avoid even getting pregnant in the first place by using birth control regularly to avoid having to make such a heart-breaking choice. Women should be more aware of how serious having sex is due to its possible consequences, but that all depends on their education and what they hear in their life (from friends or family). Roe v. Wade gives women the option to make the choice of abortion as early as possible with no legal or safety complications, and that is reason enough for my support.
Typically, in any situation similar to yours, an abortion seems like the most obvious choice, and for valid reasons. Being at such a vulnerable and dependent age in life is reason enough to not want to give birth to a baby–to another human being. However, I respect your ultimate decision of staying pregnant, and making the early decision to give the baby up for adoption. Not only that, but also deciding to go through the effort of finding traditional parents for the baby; you were thinking ahead to ensure that your baby can live up to its fullest potential, you knew that it wouldn’t if you kept it or had an abortion. Making this decision could not have been easy, and having an abortion is not easy, nor is staying pregnant at such a young age.
If I were in your shoes, I also wouldn’t have chosen to have an abortion, and not necessarily because I am “pro-choice”, since I understand why there are women who choose to have an abortion. I would keep the baby because I don’t think I would be able to live with myself if I decided to take away a chance of life as an “easy way out”. Like you, I would realize that I made a mistake by not using protection or by not being on birth control, but I would own up to the consequences by having the baby. Would I give it up for adoption? I don’t think I would, my mom would advocate I keep the baby and she would help me raise it, I know I would have my family’s full support. You were only 16 and clearly not mentally prepared to be full blown pregnant, and definitely not prepared to be a responsible mother, I would feel the same way one way or another. Since you successfully gave birth to a new life, the results left you enlightened and you were able to realize the love you wanted most.
Personally, I would never have an abortion, whether I’m 17 or 40, I would make the same choice to have the baby without even thinking about abortion being a plausible choice for myself. Roe v. Wade makes having an abortion legal and a fairly common procedure hundreds of thousands of women have each year. More abortions happen among women who are in their early twenties, when women tend to become more “sexually active” (sorry, Juno). I understand why women have abortions, because they are still young and want to live as freely as they can, and having a baby tends to but an anchor of responsibility that adds limits to how they want to live their life at that age, or at that state of their life. I agree that women should have a choice of having an abortion, because being pregnant involves their body and that includes morning sickness, buying new clothes that fit, being more aware of how to stay healthy for two human beings, etc. Pregnancy is a commitment for nine months, and this commitment will have life changing results. It is a difficult commitment to make for numerous women who are not prepared physically and emotionally. I know abortion is against my religion’s beliefs, and the thought of dead babies does make my heart hurt, but that applies to myself as it accommodates to my perception of life. What I think or feel should not restrict other women from making their own choice that matches their own perceptions of the world.
The best scenario would be that women avoid even getting pregnant in the first place by using birth control regularly to avoid having to make such a heart-breaking choice. Women should be more aware of how serious having sex is due to its possible consequences, but that all depends on their education and what they hear in their life (from friends or family). Roe v. Wade gives women the option to make the choice of abortion as early as possible with no legal or safety complications, and that is reason enough for my support.